CONVEYOR SYSTEMS: WHICH ONE IS THE RIGHT ONE?
When it comes to safely and efficiently transporting materials from one location to another within your facility, conveyor systems are a must. These systems make your operation run much faster and effectively. Materials are added to the conveyor line on either rollers or belts and then are either loaded or offloaded in designated areas within your facility. Conveyor systems come in several forms including: gravity or electric powered. These systems significantly reduce manual labor and increase productivity among your employees.
The most common applications for conveyor systems are assembly lines, order picking areas, staging or accumulation, transport of products, vertical movements, and packaging and shipping. The needs of your facility, will determine which type of conveyor system is best for you.
GRAVITY CONVEYOR SYSTEMS
This form of system is known as a non-powered conveyor as it uses gravitational pull as its main power source. It’s a very simple design and is easy to use. You’ll most likely want to install a gravity conveyor system if your facility utilizes packaging and pallet handling, assembly, kitting, or truck offloading areas.
Gravity conveyor systems consist of evenly spaced metal rollers that keep materials moving from one destination to another. The conveyor is typically constructed at a slight incline and uses gravitational force to push items down the conveyor line. If you’re looking for simplicity and affordability, gravity conveyor systems are a great choice.
You have the option of choosing between three types of gravity conveyor systems: roller, wheel, and chute.
ELECTRIC POWERED CONVEYOR SYSTEMS
These types of conveyor systems are powered by either electricity or pneumatic power sources. Most commonly, they are used in the transport of pallets and packages due to getting the item to their destinations quickly and safely.
When it comes to electric-powered conveyor systems, you have several options in which to choose. Depending on the needs of your facility will determine which model will work best for you. For example, if you move a lot of heavy pallets in varying sizes, a roller, chain, or pallet conveyor is ideal. Accumulation or sortation systems are great for packages and objects that need to be sorted and quickly delivered to their destination. Lastly, vertical reciprocating or spiral incline systems are perfect for transporting materials from one level to another, vertically.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT CONVEYOR SYSTEM
When it comes to choosing the conveyor system that’s right for your facility, ask yourself the following questions:
- What are my carton/tote sizes?
- What types of materials/products am I handling?
- Do I handle materials that can damage the conveyor system?
- What is the layout of my facility?
- What type of conveyor system is best should I need to make changes?
FIND THE RIGHT CONVEYOR SYSTEM WITH DACO
The conveyor system that you choose, electric or gravity, largely depends on the type of facility you are running. Our experienced staff at DACO knows exactly which direction to point you in. We have access to a large selection of conveyors for you to choose from, and hope you’ll contact us today, so we can go over your options with you.
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